A presentation about Sociolisation

1. Socialisation
This is the process of learning
how to behave in a way that is
appropriate and acceptable to
your culture.

2. Primary socialisation
• This takes place in early childhood.
• It usually takes place in the home.
• It offers the basic norms and values
of the family and the culture

3. Secondary socialisation
• This involves external agencies and
modifies the primary socialisation.
• It teaches norms for specific
situations and can be interpersonal
(teacher and pupil) or impersonal
(media to audience)

4. Agencies of Socialisation
• There are a variety of agencies of
socialisation:
– Family,
– Peer group
– Education
– Religion
– Mass media

5. Functionalists
• These are generally American
thinkers.
• They say that the purpose of
socialisation is to unite society in a
set of shared norms and values.
• This is a ‘consensus’ sociology.

6. Marxists
• These people say that the purpose of
socialisation is to control the weak
and defenceless and to give them the
ideas that the powerful promote.
• People are taught an ideology
• This is known as ‘conflict’ sociology.

7. Thus …
• Agencies of socialisation are also agencies
of social control.
• Which viewpoint (Marxist or functionalist)
you accept is your choice.
• Be certain you can support your view with
evidence.

8. Conclusions
• You are taught the rules of your society
throughout your life.
• You share cultural values with people
around you.
• Socialisation gives you a social identity.
• You may or may not be experiencing mind
control – but if you are, you are probably
not aware of it.